


I'm Always Chasing Rainbows

by SkylarEQuinn



Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25799269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkylarEQuinn/pseuds/SkylarEQuinn
Summary: Recently divorced Chie Satonaka returns back to her roots in Inaba with her son, striving to give him a normal life. Upon moving back, she runs into Yukiko Amagi, whom she had once been best friends with. With her estranged best friend so close now, Chie wonders if there is at least one thing in her life that can back to how it used to be.
Relationships: Amagi Yukiko/Satonaka Chie, Sanada Akihiko/Satonaka Chie
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a companion fic to my other work "If You're Feeling Patient". It takes place at the same time.

Chie Sanada looked down at the line on the document before her, the line that would turn her back to Chie Satonaka once it was signed. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Akihiko. That couldn’t be further from the truth. They were divorcing on good terms, but with the way he lived his life, there was no way they could ever truly be happy together. He had warned her all those years ago that he was married to his job, but she had stupidly married him anyway. For the past ten years, he had always been faithful to her, but he was hardly ever home. Their own son hardly knew his father, and something about that bothered Chie.

With a deep breath, she signed the divorce papers before turning toward the hallway in their small two-bedroom apartment. “Touma, are you almost ready to go? We have to catch the train!” she called to her nine-year-old son. 

Though he seemed unbothered by this divorce, and actually looked forward to moving to Inaba with his mother, Chie really wondered how he really felt. Then again, when he was told that he’d still see Akihiko whenever he was free, he chuckled darkly and replied, “So it’s not like anything will change then, huh, Mom?”

Touma Sanada entered the room, slinging his backpack over his back. “Ready!” he announced, smiling at his mom. He had her dirty-blond hair and his father’s gray eyes, the perfect mixture of each of his parents. For a moment, his eyes lingered on the papers on the table in front of his mother, but he quickly looked away and toward the door. “To a new life, right?”

“Something like that,” his mother replied, ruffling his hair. “Don’t worry, Touma. He’ll still come visit us. Things are just...better this way.” She couldn’t stop the heavy sigh from escaping her lips. “Though we’re not going to be married anymore, we’ll still be a family, Touma. You know that, right?”

He nodded his reply and stepped toward the front door. “I know, Mom. We should probably get going, though. If we miss our train, who knows when the next one will be coming.”

“You’re right,” she said, taking a deep breath. Chie slung her own bag over her shoulder and set her pen and apartment key down on the papers. Her legs felt heavy as she walked toward the front door, trying to ignore how badly she wanted to turn around and rip those papers to shreds. She focused her gaze on her son as he exited the apartment, her heart feeling heavier and heavier with each step. 

Once she reached the threshold, she placed a hand on the wall and took a deep breath. “I’ll always love you, Akihiko,” she softly said, “but this isn’t about me. I don’t want you to worry about us anymore. Touma and I will be fine.” Her hand fell back to her side. “I’ll never regret marrying you. Goodbye.”

.

Looking down at her sleeping son, Chie finally wiped away her tears as the train prepared to pull into Inaba. She gently shook him, taking a deep breath and composing herself properly. “Touma,” she softly said. “We made it. It’s time to get off the train.”

When he didn’t even stir, she frowned. Though he didn’t think she noticed, he’d cried himself to sleep as the rocking of the train lulled him to sleep. Taking pity on the poor boy, she decided to carry him. After all, he’d had a pretty rough day. In comparison to how heavy her heart felt, her son was light as a feather.

Naoto Shirogane met her at the platform, offering her a small smile. “Welcome home, Chie,” she said, keeping her voice low to avoid waking the child her friend held. “It’s good to see you, even if the circumstances suck. Is there anything I can help you with?”

“No, I’m good,” Chie replied, feeling numb. “Thanks for coming to pick us up, Naoto. My parents live too far to walk with him.” Despite the aching in her chest, she offered Naoto a warm smile. “I’m sorry if it cut into your plans.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” the dark-haired woman replied, shaking her head as if Chie had told her some lame joke. “Ted’s finishing up at work, so I’ve got time. You know as well as I that if he wasn’t at work, he’d be here with me. Heck, if Yosuke hadn’t already put the girls to bed, he’d be here too.”

“It’s still weird to think that Yosuke is a dad,” the other mused, shifting her son’s weight in her arms. “And that he has two daughters even. You remember how he used to be.” She then smiled fondly as she remembered what had changed him for the better. “Ami really helped him a lot, didn’t she? How’s she doing, by the way? The last I heard was that she was in the hospital, but that was a month ago.”

Naoto frowned. “She’s still there,” she sighed, a hint of bitterness in her tone. “Of all people, she’s the last person who should be stuck in that situation.” She led her friend to her car and helped Chie buckle Touma in, noting how much the boy looked like his father. Deciding not to bring something like that up, Naoto instead pushed the boy’s hair out of his face, smiling fondly.

Chie noticed Naoto’s small gesture with her son and couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Do you and Teddie ever plan on having kids, Naoto?” She saw her friend freeze before pulling her hand back to her side and ball it into a fist. “I’m sorry,” she quickly said. “I just see Teddie’s social media posts with you both and Yosuke’s kids all the time, and you just look so happy. It makes me wonder if you ever have plans of becoming a parent.”

“It’s not that we don’t want to,” the other woman slowly began, getting into her car. She took a deep breath. “It’s more like we’re scared to. You know the truth about Ted’s origins, so surely you understand our reservations on it. After all, he’s a Shadow. What would that child be? Or would it even be possible?”

“I understand,” her friend replied, nodding sagely. “Just know that I’m here for you to talk to if you need it.”

“Thank you, Chie,” Naoto replied with a smile as she started the car. She watched Chie climb in and shut the door. Biting her lip, she decided to bring up another subject she had been worried about. “Does Yukiko know that you’re back? I met with her for tea last week, and she hadn’t said anything, so I didn’t mention it.”

Yukiko. That name brought back memories. She had been Chie’s best friend from childhood up until their senior year of high school. With what they had been through together, how could Chie had not fallen in love with her. Yet when she finally confessed those feelings of love to her best friend after their high school graduation, Yukiko had flat-out rejected her. Things hadn’t been the same ever since. And after Touma was born, they seemed to lose touch.

“I...honestly don’t know,” she admitted in a small voice. “It’s not like it would really matter if she knew or not, right? She’s the one who stopped contacting me after I had Touma. And then I became busy with raising him. We lost touch awhile back, and I doubt she even knows that I’m a divorcee now.” Her heart wrenched at the thought that the girl whom she once told everything to all those years ago had no idea about anything currently going on in her life. “I feel that if I reach out to her, I wouldn’t know what to say. It sounds stupid, but I just can’t do it, Naoto. A part of me knows she’d be there to comfort me through it all, but yet another part of me believes that she wouldn’t care either way.”

“Which part do you believe is stronger?”

Chie sighed. “By this point, I honestly don’t know.” She knew that if she saw Yukiko again, her feelings might come flooding back all at once, which would make it all the more painful. “I want to see her, Naoto. I really do. But I don’t think I can trust myself to see her just yet, with just ending a ten-year marriage and all. It wouldn’t seem right. We both know what would end up happening, and I don’t think my heart would be able to take it.”

“We’re meeting for tea in a couple days,” Naoto quietly told her friend. “You’re more than welcome to join us if you’d like. Give it some thought, okay?”

The rest of the car ride was small talk and catching up, and when Chie reached her parents’ home, she had almost forgotten the events of that day. But once Naoto had left and Chie sat in her childhood bedroom, the only other sound in the room being her son’s soft snores as he slept, she finally let herself cry it all out.


	2. Chapter 2

As the day Naoto planned to have tea approached, Chie found herself growing more and more nervous. She had taken to pacing around her parents’ home, much to Touma’s distress. Though she knew she needed to get it together for her son’s sake, something was stopping her. What was wrong with her? Her son didn’t need to see her like this! What kind of a mother was she?

“Have you given my offer any more thought?” Naoto asked when she called Chie the night before she was meeting up with Yukiko. “I’m having tea with Yukiko tomorrow, and you’re more than welcome to come along. Given what you’ve gone through recently, I would understand if you didn’t want to, but I figured it would help get your mind off of….him.”

At the mention of Akihiko, Chie felt her blood run cold. Oh, how she missed him! Though he had hardly ever been around in the past decade, knowing that they weren’t married anymore hurt her more than she cared to admit. Her heart longed for him, but she was unsure of if he felt the same way. What if one day he finally came home for good? Would he ask her to remarry him? If that day ever came, what would she say to him?

“Chie? Are you there?” her friend’s voice had a hint of concern in it.

“Y-Yeah,” she stammered back. “I’m here, Naoto.” She took a deep breath to get better control over her mind. “You know what? I think I’ll take you up on that offer for tea tomorrow. I need to get out of the house and stop feeling sorry for myself. If not for myself, then at least for my boy. He deserves better than how I’ve been lately.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Chie.” Naoto’s smile was evident in her voice. “I’ll be by to pick you up around two in the afternoon then.”

“Two, it is,” Chie replied. “I’ll see you then, Naoto. Thanks.” After hanging up, she leaned heavily on the living room wall and slumped down against it until she was sitting on the floor. What had she just agreed to? Could she really bear to see Yukiko again after all these years? What if she showed up and Yukiko didn’t want to see her? She wouldn’t be able to bear something like that!

“Mom?” Touma asked, cautiously wandering into the living room. “Are you okay? You’re not crying again, are you?” His mouth pulled downwards into a frown, causing his mother’s heart to pull. “I don’t want you to cry anymore.”

She slowly rose to her feet and walked across the living room toward her son, pulling him into a warm hug. “I’m not crying anymore,” she decided. “I’ve decided to move on from all of this. We both know your father loves us, but we just need to keep going with our lives. That’s what he wants for us. So tomorrow, I’ve decided to get tea with my friends. Do you think you’ll be okay here for an hour or two? I think your grandma and grandpa have to work.”

“I’ll be fine,” he assured, smiling. “I’m glad that you’re okay again, Mom. I was really worried. Dad loves us, but I know that he loves protecting people as well. Even if we don’t live with him anymore, I still feel safe knowing that he’s out there somewhere.”

“Me too, Touma,” she sighed, trying to ignore the ache in her heart over Akihiko. “Me too.”

.

Naoto pulled up to the house at exactly two o’clock, causing Chie to mentally note how her friend is still as punctual as ever. Yet what Chie wasn’t expecting was the person in the passenger’s seat.

“Chie-chan!” Teddie cried out, opening the car door and leaping out toward her. “It’s been too long! You look as beautiful as ever, you know!” He pulled her into a tight hug that she couldn’t help but reciprocate. “I’m glad to see you looking well!”

“Do I?” she numbly asked, trying to remind herself to smile. She couldn’t cry over something like this! It was just a hug from a friend she hadn’t seen in a long time. There was nothing to cry over in this moment, yet she felt a couple tears roll down her cheeks.

Teddie pulled away, blue eyes widening in horror as Naoto finally made her way over to them. “I didn’t do it, Nao-chan!” he pleaded to his girlfriend. “I swear I did nothing to upset her! She just did this on her own!”

Chie couldn’t help but laugh at his antics. He was just the same as ever. She brought up a hand to wipe her eyes and cheeks. “It’s okay, Teddie,” she told him. “It’s not your fault at all. Naoto knows you didn’t do it.” Her body felt more normal after taking a couple deep breaths. “Things have just been tough, you know? I got a text from Akihiko this morning, telling me that the paperwork has been finalized. I’m Chie Satonaka again….”

“Chie,” Naoto sighed, frowning. She made a move to hug her friend, but Teddie beat her to it.

“Oh no!” he wailed in distress. “I’m so sorry to hear that!” His arms hugged her extra tight before Naoto pried him off of her.

“Let her go, Ted, she can’t breathe,” the blue-haired woman stated. She placed a comforting hand on Chie’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about him. I have to give him a ride to work today because his car’s in the shop. He wanted to see you, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to bring him along. But if I had known he was going to behave in this manner, I would have taken him to Junes first.”

“My darling, you wound me,” Teddie stated, placing the back of his hand against his forehead in distress.

“No, it’s okay,” Chie replied, a small smile playing on her lips. “Out of all of the things that have changed in my life, it’s a relief to know that Teddie is the same, old Teddie. It’s kind of like a breath of fresh air to be dealing with him again.”

“I….I honestly have no idea how to take that, so I’ll just thank you instead,” the blond replied with an indifferent shrug. “It’s good to see you again, Chie. I mean that with the utmost sincerity.”

“It’s good to see you too, Teddie.”

.

“Again, I’m so sorry about him,” Naoto sighed, throwing her car into park as she killed the engine. “You know how excitable he is, especially when he hasn’t seen someone in so long. It wasn’t exactly a good time for him to behave in that manner, though.” She sighed and pushed her bangs out of her face. “I’m just really sorry about that.”

“There’s no need to apologize, Naoto,” Chie assured, smiling at her friend. “If Teddie had behaved differently, then he wouldn’t have been our Teddie, you know?”

The other woman chuckled to herself. “I suppose you’re right about that. He definitely has a distinct personality, that’s for sure.” She smiled as she checked her cell phone. “Yukiko is running a little late, so we’ll have to wait a few. Is that okay?”

“Of course! It gives me time to collect myself, you know? If I’m honest, I’m still a little nervous about seeing Yukiko. You did tell her I was coming, right?”

“Of course I did, Chie,” Naoto answered. “That’s just simple etiquette. If you don’t mind me saying so, she sounded excited.” She sighed. “Look, we all know what happened at graduation that year. None of us chose any sides, and I know you know that. I feel you two can work it out if you try. Though it’s just my intuition saying this, I honestly believe that she really does miss you.”

“I’ve missed her too,” Chie admitted, trying to smile. “You know what Touma said to me as I was leaving today?” She chuckled to herself. “He told me to go and have fun with me friends, especially because he didn’t know I had any.” Her heart sank as she continued. “When we lived in Tatsumi Port Island, I felt as if I were too busy to have friends. I was always taking care of Touma and the apartment, waiting for Akihiko to come home at any given moment. I never really felt that I had the time to make friends. And then now that I’m back here, I’m almost overwhelmed by all of the support that I have from everyone. Even Yosuke texted me this morning to check in…”

“I’m glad you’re back, Chie,” her friend simply replied before checking her phone. “Yukiko is here, so I think we should probably head inside. Are you ready?”

“Whether I am or not won’t change the fact that she’s expecting us,” the other replied, opening the door to her side of the car. “I feel that I won’t be ready until the moment I see her again, so it’s best that we just go in.”

Though Chie said those words to convince herself, it didn’t do much. Once she had entered the restaurant, her eyes instantly drifted to the red-clad woman with the long, silky black hair. Her heart leaped into her throat as she tried to calm her nerves. ‘It’s just Yukiko,’ she had to remind herself.

As Naoto steered her toward their table, Chie began to feel lightheaded. Could she really do this? It had been nine years since the last time they had spoken. Was there any way to be casual again? Though there was only one way to find out, she was too nervous. In that moment, she was so grateful to Naoto for being there. Having another person there certainly helped to rid the situation of the awkwardness.

“It’s good to see you, Naoto,” Yukiko greeted with a smile as the two women sat down across from her. Her dark eyes then drifted over to her former best friend. “Chie, it’s been awhile. I’m glad to see that you’re in good health.” She stared down at her hands that were folded in her lap. “I heard about your circumstances. I’m very sorry to hear about what happened. Though I haven’t exactly been the best friend to you in the past nine years, please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you and your son.”

Chie didn’t know what to say to something like that. Her words sounded genuine, but she couldn’t help but sense that something was off about them, though she couldn’t place it. “Thanks, Yukiko,” she softly said. “It’s good to see you as well.” She fidgeted in her seat for a few moments before the waitress came by to take their tea orders. Though she did her best not to show it, she was grateful for the disruption.

.

Things had been awkward for the first half hour of their time together, but Chie and Yukiko began to open up better, much to Naoto’s approval. By the end of their time together, the two estranged friends had exchanged emails once again and had plans to go to the park together with Touma later in the week. Though it was a new beginning, Chie began to feel hopeful that they could make up for lost time.

“It’s good to see you smiling like this,” Naoto commented as she drove Chie back to her parents’ home. “If I’m honest, I was worried that things wouldn’t work out over tea,” she admitted with a sigh. “But I’m glad they turned out this way. It’s a step toward healing for you, that’s for sure. I’m happy for you and Yukiko. I’ve been worried about your two ever since you both graduated from high school, but now I see that maybe I had no need to worry after all.”

“You know, for the first time in the past week, I honestly feel like things are going to be okay.” Chie took a deep breath after speaking, centering herself to assure that she meant her words. “Thank you for inviting me out today, Naoto. Let’s do something like this again soon.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chie was bored out of her mind. She hadn’t heard from Naoto since the day they had tea with Yukiko. And while it was common for Naoto to be busy, some sort of gut feeling told her something was wrong. Deciding to follow her instincts, Chie picked up her cell phone and dialed Naoto’s number.

“Hello?” Naoto answered after the fourth ring. Her voice sounded hoarse and drained. “Chie, is that you?” Though her tone perked up slightly, she still sounded as if she would burst into tears at any given moment.

“It’s me, Naoto,” she confirmed in a gentle voice. Unable to hide her worry, she decided to ask what she had been wondering since the other answered. “Are you okay? It sounds like you’ve been crying, and I’m worried about you.”

The other woman let out a shaky sigh before answered. “No, Chie. I’m not. There’s a lot going on right now.” Chie heard the sound of a door opening and shutting before she spoke again. “Yosuke’s wife passed away the other night, and everything has been complete hell. Not only that, but I haven’t been feeling well at all lately.”

Chie’s eyes filled with tears. “Ami’s dead?” she whispered into the receiver. Her tears spilled down her cheeks. “I just….That’s so hard to believe. I can’t imagine how you, Teddie, Yosuke, and the girls are feeling….” She sniffled a little, trying to regain her composure for her friend. “How’s he holding up?”

“Souji got there yesterday morning,” Naoto replied, voice shaking. “I held it all together until Souji hugged me and told me that it was okay for me to cry. He seems to be handling the Hanamura house well. Shio-chan ran when she found out, but Souji ran off after her and Yosuke talked to her. I don’t think Fumi-chan understands what’s going on….” She sniffled. “I don’t like seeing those sweet girls so upset. Though Teddie and I aren’t married, I still consider them my nieces. They’re like a part of me, and I hate when they’re hurting.”

“Naoto…” Chie sighed. She frowned. “Please tell me what I can do for the Hanamura family.”

“I think Yosuke might feel relieved if someone could take the girls for the afternoon,” she replied. “Teddie and I can’t because I’m sick, but I can text Yosuke and give him your number if you’d like?”

“Please do that,” the other replied, biting her lip. “I’m sure Yosuke would be more comfortable knowing that his daughters are with someone he could trust with his life.” She sighed. “Since you’re not feeling well, I’ll let you go so you can rest. Please take care of yourself, Naoto.”

“Thank you, Chie,” she said. “Also, I’ll text you when I know the funeral date. I’m sure the entire Investigation Team will be there.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Chie told her before they said their goodbyes and hung up. “Yosuke, why are you such a magnet for misfortune?” she wailed as she finally let herself sob for her friends.

.

“I heard you crying this afternoon, Mom,” Touma quietly told her as he sat across from her at the table. It was just the two of them at the house that night, Chie’s parents having gone on vacation for a couple weeks after knowing their daughter and grandson were safe. “Is the divorce with Dad still bothering you?”

She shook her head, sighing as she dished out the food to their plates. “That’s not it, kiddo. I just got some really bad news about one of my friends from high school is all. Which reminds me, his daughters are going to come stay overnight tomorrow. They’re going to take your room to sleep, and you’re going to stay with me in Grandma and Grandpa’s room, okay? And don’t forget to be nice.” Chie shrank in her seat after giving her son his plate and setting her own before her. “Their mother just died.”

He looked up, raising his eyebrows. “Are you sure they’ll be okay with coming over then?” Touma asked, worried. “I don’t know what I’ll do if I meet them and all they do is cry.”

“From what I was told by their father, they’re both taking it very well, but he just needs some time to process it,” she replied. “Please be nice to them. One of them is even around your age, I think. I’m sure it’ll be nice for you to make some friends here, especially since their father is one of my best friends.”

Touma rolled his gray eyes. “I got it, Mom. I’ll be nice.” He fought back the urge to ask, ‘But what if they’re the mean ones?’ Having always been wary of strangers, he wasn’t one who enjoyed meeting new people. Even on his first day of school, he only made friends with the girl next to him, and that was because she told everyone else to go away. He smiled at the memory of the girl who sat next to him, Hana-chan.

Chie’s phone began to ring, causing her to jump up when she saw who it was. Holding a finger up to Touma to say she’ll only be a minute, she hurried into the other room, answering her phone with a, “Hey Souji! What’s up?”

Her son sat at the table, picking at the food in front of him. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to make new friends. He just didn’t want to deal with the tears. Meeting strangers was bad enough, but meeting strangers who would more than likely cry just sounded awful. What if those girls just burst into tears randomly without his mom around? How was he supposed to comfort them? The anxiety of it began to eat away at his stomach until his appetite was completely dissolved.

“Sorry about that, kiddo,” his mother apologized, entering the room once more. “A friend of mine called to tell me what time the girls would be coming tomorrow.” She sat back down at the table across from him. “Touma, you could’ve eaten while I was on the phone. It’s okay.”

“I’m not hungry,” he mumbled, standing up. “I’m gonna go lay down.”

“Okay,” she muttered, watching her son leave the room. Chie chewed her lip as she thought of what to do. She knew that Touma wasn’t exactly one for strangers, but she at least wished he would cooperate a little more.

Grabbing her phone, she decided to text Naoto while she ate, letting her friend know that she would have the girls the next day if she was feeling better. Upon receiving no reply from her friend, Chie put her phone down and continued eating in silence, her mind wandering to other things.

As her mind wandered, she found herself thinking about Yukiko. She still looked beautiful all these years later, with her long raven hair. Her smile was the same as it had been back in high school, showing no signs of wear and tear. It was almost as if time itself had stopped and frozen for Yukiko, which didn’t seem fair to Chie, whose hair now stretched halfway down her back and whose stomach still bore slight stretch marks from childbearing. 

‘At least time had been kind to Yukiko,’ Chie thought as she sipped her tea. ‘I couldn’t imagine her any other way.’ Her heart clenched a little as she thought of Yukiko’s rejection of her feelings all those years ago. If things had been different, would they still be together to this day? Or would they have separated or divorced just as she and Akihiko had done?

The more Chie thought about her failed marriage, the more she wondered if she was the problem after all. Was Akihiko working all the time because he’d rather be anywhere but with her? Though he had told her he was “married to his job”, why couldn’t he have strived to make more time for her and Touma? Was it really job obligations, or was it her all along?

Losing her appetite, Chie cleared the table and went to lie down after doing dishes. Her heart couldn’t take much more of this overthinking habit of hers, and she prayed that sleep would take her soon.

.

When Chie answered the door the next morning, she felt as if she were looking down at a smaller Ami Hanamura. Her heart pulled a little, remembering her friend’s pain as Souji handed over a small, sleepy child. She noted that the one she was holding looked just like Yosuke and smiled. “We’re going to have fun today,” she told the two girls before smiling to Souji and Yosuke. “I’ll take good care of them, I promise.” A sympathetic smile played on her lips. “Let me know if you need more time, okay? I’ll keep them for as long as you need me to.”

Yosuke sniffed, smiling sadly at her. “Thanks, Chie. You’re the best.” His honest enthusiasm wasn’t in his voice anymore. Instead, he sounded more hollow than anything. It made Chie’s chest hurt, but she stood strong for her. “We should probably head out, right Partner?” he asked Souji. He placed a kiss on the top of his elder daughter’s head. “You listen to Chie, Shiori, got it?” He then kissed the little one’s cheek. “Have fun with Daddy’s friend, okay, Fumi?”

Souji placed a hand on Yosuke’s shoulder, knowing that if they didn’t leave now Yosuke would never leave. “We’ll be in touch, Chie. They’re both really good kids. I think you’ll all have a great time.” With a quick wave, he guided Yosuke back to his car and drove off.

Chie smiled down at Shiori. “Hey there, Shiori. I’m your dad’s friend, Chie.” She gestured into the house. “Come on in. My son should be in the living room. Don’t worry, he’s very nice. Please make yourself comfortable.”

Shiori bowed gratefully to Chie. “Thank you very much,” she politely said, smiling slightly. She then turned to her sister and grabbed her hand. “We’re going to have fun with Chie-san, right, Fumi-chan? We’ll have a nice sleepover and then Daddy and Uncle Sou will be back for us. Let’s be good, okay? No tantrums.”

Fumiko nodded sagely. “No tantrums,” she agreed.

The older of the two girls then walked into the house and stopped in her tracks. “Sanada-kun?!”

Touma froze in place on the couch upon hearing her voice. “Hana-chan?!”


	4. Chapter 4

Chie was surprised at how well Shiori adjusted after discovering that Touma was her son. She was glad that the two had met beforehand to help make the next few days a bit easier on them. And after seeing her sister relax in their house, Fumiko also relaxed, letting Chie play with her hair as she sat on her lap.

Her phone went off, and she checked it to see a text from an unknown address. She opened it to read the following message:  
Hello, Chie! It’s Yukiko! I hope you don’t mind that I asked your number from Naoto! It took a lot of pleading too! If you’re not too busy this week, would you like to meet up?

She smiled to herself, telling Yukiko that she didn’t mind but that she had Yosuke’s girls for the next couple days. Somehow the conversation ended up evolving from there to Yukiko treating them all to dinner that night at the inn. Though she had been to the inn many times in her youth, Chie felt nervous about going after all this time, but she was also hoping that she could repair the damaged relationship between her and her former best friend.

Shiori sat on the floor in front of Chie, playing cards with Touma as his mother braided her hair into a complicated-yet-elegant-looking style. She smiled, feeling reminiscent of when her mother used to do the same, but she kept reminding herself that Chie was Touma’s mother, not hers. But it wasn’t as if it was a bad feeling. In fact, it made her feel comfortable in the fact that her friend’s mother cared for her enough to do something like this.

“Shiori-chan, you have such beautiful hair,” Chie commented, threading her fingers through it as she separated her hair into sections for the braids. She held back from saying that her hair was just like her mother’s, not wanting to upset her, so she turned to Fumiko and smiled. “Your hair is beautiful too, Fumiko-chan! Your Daddy definitely has some beautiful daughters!”

Hearing Chie’s words made Shiori smile. It was the first time anyone had ever said anything about her hair without comparing her to her mother. Whether it was out of kindness or sensitivity, it made her happy. “Thank you, Satonaka-san,” she replied, blushing.

“Saka-san,” Fumiko began, struggling with all of the syllables in Chie’s surname, “why is Sana-kun different from you?”

“Touma-kun has his daddy’s last name,” she replied, smiling kindly. “And that’s okay, because we are still family. It won’t change the fact that he’s my son.”

“Like Uncle Sou?” the younger asked.

“Sure,” Shiori agreed, helping Chie out. “Uncle Souji is our family, but he doesn’t have our name. But that doesn’t make him any less family than Uncle Teddie, right?”

“I like Uncle Sou!” Fumiko chirped, smiling. “He’s silly and he smells good!” She wrapped her arms around herself in a hug while she giggled. “Uncle Sou gives warm hugs and tells the best bedtime stories! Sometimes he plays with me while Shio and Daddy are busy!”

Chie smiled, imagining her friend doing all of those things. “He’s a lot of fun, isn’t he? I’ve thought the same thing ever since I was sixteen. It’s weird to think I’ve known him for that long, but also to think that it really isn’t as long as I feel it’s been.” She laughed to herself. “Of course I’ve known your dad for a few years longer, and that’s strange as well. But he and Souji were instant besties, now that I think about it. They were always together back when Souji lived here for that year.”

She thought back on her group of friends from back then and how they all kept in touch even to this day, all but her and Yukiko up until recently. Her heart felt heavy as she realized that she and Yukiko were once like Yosuke and Souji, practically attached at the hip. What had happened to those days? Why did such a small thing like a love confession ruin that? Why had she been so stupid as to confess in the first plae? Was all of the silence her fault?

Deciding not to think about that anymore, she focused on getting everyone ready to leave for dinner instead.

.  
Yukiko Amagi paced in her room, considering switching from her current yellow kimono to a red one. She could still hear Chie’s voice from all those years ago echoing in her head. “You look so good in red!” It nearly made her heart stutter to think about, and she made up her mind. Red kimono it would be.

She thought back to the last time Chie had ever come here. It was the day before their high school graduation. Back then, Yukiko was still uncertain about who she was, let alone who she had feelings for. She wished that she hadn’t said such cold words to Chie the following day when her best friend had opened up to her about how she really felt. It wasn’t until the other had started dating that man from Iwatodai that she realized the true gravity of what she had lost, and what love really was.

Having been devastated to hear of their marriage, Yukiko refused to go to Chie’s wedding to the handsome Akihiko Sanada. And upon hearing that Chie had given birth to a baby boy less than a year later, her heart had broken, knowing that her friend could never be hers at that point.

But then everything had changed over the past week. Chie had gotten divorced and come back home, bringing her son along with her. From what she had heard, the marriage had ended with them on good terms, but she could hardly believe that her Chie was back. Knowing full well what she was getting herself into, Yukiko reached out to Naoto to help her reconnect with her former best friend.

Now all she wanted to know is if Chie still harbored those feelings or not.

.

Upon their arrival at the Amagi Inn, Yukiko greeted them while wearing a red kimono. Chie’s cheeks flushed to the point that they nearly matched it. Her heart pounded in her chest as if she were looking at her best friend back in high school. It made her wonder if Yukiko was wearing red on purpose, knowing full-well what Chie thought of her in red. Then again, perhaps Yukiko had forgotten. That had to be it.

“Welcome to the Amagi Inn,” she greeted with a practiced bow. “I’ve prepared us a table over in this room.” Yukiko smiled at the four of them and led the way to a small room, separated from the others by paper walls. A table with five cushions sat in the middle of it. “I hope it’s to your liking.”

“You don’t have to be so proper,” Chie snorted. “It’s just me, Touma, and Yosuke’s kids.”

Yukiko smiled. “Sorry, it’s just so ingrained in my head at this point that I can’t help but do it,” she laughed. “But you’re right. I’m meeting with friends, even if I haven’t met some of them.” She turned to the three children and smiled. “My name is Yukiko Amagi.” Her smile was directed at Touma as she said, “Your mother was my best friend when I was your age.” She then turned to the girls. “Your father is a dear friend of mine as well. It’s nice to meet the three of you.”

“You’re really pretty, Amagi-san!” Shiori said, eyes shining with awe.

“Thank you very much, Shiori-chan,” she replied, blushing. Yukiko was so glad that she had studied the names of Yosuke’s daughters beforehand, because it would have been awful to get their names wrong at a time like that. “You’re quite beautiful yourself.” She smiled at Fumiko as well. “And so are you, Fumiko-chan.” Her gaze then went to Touma, who looked so much like Chie that it nearly pained her. The only difference was that he had Akihiko’s eyes. “And Touma-kun’s so handsome!”

Touma quickly looked away, blushing as he sat down on his cushion. He was relieved when Shiori sat on one side of him and his mother on the other. “Thanks,” he quietly said, refusing to look at Yukiko until his blush went away.

Chie laughed. “He can be a little shy at times,” she told Yukiko. “Touma’s a good kid, and Yosuke’s girls are so sweet! They make me wish that I had a daughter as well. But there’s no way I would ever give up my sweet boy for the world.” She ruffled her son’s hair fondly. “I know I can only speak for myself when I say this, but kids really bring out the best in us.”

Yukiko smiled politely. “You’ve definitely changed and grown a lot since high school,” she commented. “But I mean all of that in a good way. It’s refreshing to see how responsible of an adult you became.”

The other woman’s mouth twisted into a smile. “You saying you didn’t think I’d be a responsible adult?” she teased, laughing. “But you’re right, this definitely isn’t who I thought I would be upon graduating. A lot has happened, but I would never take it back for the world. Then again, Yukiko, you took over the inn after graduating, and it’s amazing! I’m really impressed with what you’ve done with it!”

She blushed. “You really think so? I didn’t make many changes, though. I just renovated a few things that desperately needed it.”

“How do I put it?” Chie thought aloud, tapping her finger to her chin. “There’s just a different vibe about the inn these days. It’s a good vibe, of course, but it’s different from before. I like it, though. Something about it gives me inner peace.”

Yukiko laughed. “Thank you, Chie. I appreciate that. I worked hard to evolve the inn into bigger and better things while still keeping it traditional. It means a lot to know that someone who has seen the ‘before’ product approves of my work.”

For a moment, it felt as if no time had passed since graduation between the two women. It felt as if there had never been a rift between them. And then the food came and they were both brought back to the reality that ten years had passed, but at least they could rebuild from there.


End file.
